Ottoman Baroque Brandenburg & the Whirling Dervishes

A major event in the history of Europe took place in 1453 with the taking of Constantinople by the Turks and the establishment of the Ottoman Empire. Captured by Sultan Mehmet II, this glorious capital is now known as Istanbul.

Tracing the journey of a mystical and imaginary traveller throughout Europe, this is a musical journey reflecting the riches, mysteriousness, influences and exotic sound of the faraway Orient.

Join the Brandenburg for a journey presented with Whirling Dervishes and revered musicians from Turkey, and musicians and dancers of the Greek world.

Paul Dyer’s concept for the Ottoman Baroque series began with a conversation with a long time friend and supporter of the Brandenburg and culminated in his attendance at a ceremony of the famous Whirling Dervishes in Konya, Turkey. Here there was a fortuitous meeting betweeen Paul and Esin Çelebi Bayru, Vice President of the International Mevlana Foundation and direct 22nd descendant of the 13^th century poet and mystic Rumi by whom the Mevlevi (Rumi) Sufi Order was founded. This meeting led to an invitation from Paul to Esin to travel to Sydney for these very special concerts.

The Ottoman Baroque series will feature some of Turkey’s finest exponents of the kudüm (drum), qanun (a plucked string instrument), tambur (a fretted string instrument) and ney (a reed flute) and will culminate with the arrival of the spellbinding Whirling Dervishes.

Our traveller begins in France with the music of Lully and Marais, then passes through Germany (Telemann), Italy (Allegri) and Spain (Boccherini) before arriving in the eastern Mediterranean with the music and dancing of traditional Greece and Eastern Anatolia. Our traveller’s final destination is Turkey, where revered Turkish musicians and the Whirling Dervishes mesmerise, entrance and inspire.

Don’t miss this landmark event in Brandenburg history!